TOKHANG: Filipinos document the deadly drug war in the Philippines

“OPLAN TOKHANG is a Visayan word which means Tok-tok Hangyo, where police personnel knocks on the doors of an alleged drug user or pusher, asking him/her to surrender to the police in order that they be monitored for further assessment.”

A group of Filipino photographers and a documentary videographer set out to document the deadly war on drugs in the Philippines. Slideshow edited and presented by Jes Aznar featuring images from Alyx Arumpac, Dante Dionisia, Ezra Acayan, Linus Escandor, Carlo Gabuco, Jay Ganzon, Vincent Go, Czar Dancel, Raffy Lerma, Alecs Ongcal, Hannah Reyes and Dondi Tawatao.

Comments 5

great photos ! but just like your images, all u guys were taking it from the sidelines. fantastic pictures if one is wanting to look at propaganda. next time, put some soul & hope in your storytelling.

Well, I just press the unlike button so I don’t need to hear your hypocrisy. Based in Singapore, really – where there is a rule of law? Why are you suddenly a part of the destabilizing phony press? That photoshopped inage looks like our president is high on drugs, which is hie public enemy no. 1 – shame on you!

What do you mean by deadly. I am a filipino and most of us here are in favor of the drug war. I mean, we are dealing here with criminals, not innocent people. Allow them to live and the number of victims will multiply. At the first place, they know that what they did is against the law. In other words they don’t respect the law, and the rights of every filipino people. I suggest you conduct a survery and see for yourselves that majority of the filipinos are happy with the current administration. Don’t portray the criminals as victims.

Not everyone is happy with the government, even the masses are starting to be unhappy and uncomfortable. I travel a lot, and there has been a recent wave of disapproval growing. This president knows nothing but shortcuts. It is his job to find legal and just ways to solve problems, but he chooses the shortcut, not as a last resort, but as a first resort. He is a coward.